Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens, Part 17

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company
Number of Pages: 872

USA > Minnesota > Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens > Part 17
USA > North Dakota > Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens > Part 17

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that had been fought there. On their re- turn march, at Gainesville, they met a large body of rebels, and, in the encounter that ensued, the brigade suffered a loss of some. five hundred men, and the Second Wiscon- sin their colonel. On the 29th and 30th of August, 1862, Mr. Hunting with his regi- ment took part in the second battle of Bull Run, and on the repulse at that point marched for South Mountain, Maryland, where he participated in the engagement of September 14th, where the brigade won for itself immortal renown and the sobriquet that is so widely known. On the 17th of the same month, in the hot and devastating fire on Antietam's bloody field, he followed the colors of his regiment, a day to be re- membered, and where twenty-six heroes of his company were killed or wounded. Mr. Hunting served as hospital steward at the field hospital until that was broken up, in the spring of 1863, after which he rejoined the regiment, then at Fredericksburg, and with it participated in the carnage at Chan- cellorsville, May 3, 1863; the decisive and sanguinary battle at Gettysburg, July 1, 2 and 3; Mine Run, November 29, of the same year; the murderous and extended battle of the Wilderness, May 5 and 6, 1864 ; Spottsylvania, May 8, and all the other bat- tles and skirmishes of the campaign under Grant that took place that year.

In November, 1863, Mr. Hunting returned to Wisconsin, where he was engaged in re- cruiting until May 1, 1864, returning just in time to participate in the spring campaign. He was promoted to the rank of third ser- geant, after Gettysburg, and served in that capacity until his discharge. Besides the battles enumerated above, Mr. Hunting took a part in the engagements at Orange court house, July, 1862; Beaver Dam, or Gaines Mill, August 5 to 8, 1862; Rappahannock Station, August 2, 1862; Sulphur Springs, August 26, 1862; Fitz Hugh's Crossing,

April 29, 1863; Kelley's Ford, July 9, 1863 : and Raccoon Ford, June 5 and 6, 1864.

On the 18th of June, 1864, their term of service having expired, the company of which Mr. Hunting was a member arrived in Madison for discharge, having only two sergeants, two corporals and eighteen pri- vates left of the 102 who had left the State in its ranks. In February, 1865, our subject enlisted in Company C, Ninth Regiment of the First Veteran Reserve Corps, under Gen- eral W. S. Hancock, and was made first sergeant of the company. He remained at Washington for a time, whence he was sent to Indianapolis to perform gaard duty, and from there to Davenport, Iowa, to guard the Sioux Indian prisoners there, and re- mained in the latter place until February 14, 1866, when he was finally discharged.

Mr. Hunting returned to his home in Wis- consin, where he stayed until April 1, 1876, when he removed to Sauk Center, Minnesota, where he rented a farm and entered upon its tillage. In the fall of the same year he came to the Red River Valley, and took up a claim one mile and a half northeast of where Ada now stands, the village then consisting of one small, portable house, used as a station, one board shanty, and a small building used for a warehouse. He returned to Sauk Center, where his family were, and spent the winter. In the spring he returned to his claim, and broke some twenty acres of it and erected a sod stable, but returned to Sauk Center for his family, whom he brought here in September of that year. He put up a house and carried on the farm until 1881. While there he took an active part in all town matters, and served as chairman of the town board and as school director, as well as in other offices. In the spring of 1882 he removed into the village of Ada, having previously purchased six lots on Atlantic avenue, and in a house erected there, lived

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for two years and then removed to his pres- ent residence.

In 1884 Mr. Hunting put in a stock of farm machinery, and followed the sale of that line of goods for two years. In the spring of 1883 he was elected to the positions of both town and village justice, and has been reëlected his own successor ever since. The same year he was chosen president of the village board, and held that office for a year.

The subject of this memoir was married November 28, 1864, to Miss Alice Taylor, of Fall River, Columbia county, Wisconsin, who died in January, 1865. On the 14th of December, 1867, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Nancy Hunting, nee Silsbee, the widow of his brother, who had died from exposure shortly after his discharge from the United States service, where he had gallantly served.

Mr. Hunting is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having been made a Mason in Norman Lodge, No. 144, A. F. & A. M., in 1883. He is also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias lodge of Ada. He was one of the originators of George B. McClellan Post, now William Ketchum Post, No. 62, Grand Army of the Republic, and has been most actively identified with its interests and growth. In February, 1887, he organ- ized Company I, Third Regiment, Minnesota National Guard, and held the office of cap- tain until January, 1888, when he resigned. Politically he has always been a stanch supporter of democratic principles, and has labored for the success of that party.

Mr. Hunting's family consists of three children, one daughter and two step-children, named James G., Francis S. and Alice M.

RANCIS J. DUFFY, the editor and pro- prietor of the East Grand Forks Cou- rier, is a native of Wisconsin, born in Water- town, on the 14th of February, 1855, and is

the son of Patrick and Frances (Williamson) Duffy, natives of Ireland.

Mr. Duffy, of whom this sketch treats, remained at home, attending school, until he was twenty years of age. In the summers, and while he was out of school, he clerked in his father's general merchandise store until he was seventeen years of age. He then entered a printing office, and for three years worked at that trade. At the age of twenty years he removed to the city of New York, and secured a position on the New York World. He remained in that office, setting type, until the spring of 1881. He then took a trip to the Old World, and remained in London, England, for about one montlı, and then went to Ireland, where he remained until the following September. In Septem- ber, 1881, he returned to the United States, and in October, 1882, settled at East Grand Forks, Polk county, Minnesota. In the fol- lowing August he purchased his present paper, and has since been the sole editor and proprietor of the East Grand Forks Courier. He is one of the ablest editors in the Red River Valley, and the paper has a large and increasing circulation. It is a bright, newsy paper, seven columns, and independent in politics.

Mr. Duffy was united in marriage on the 11th of July, 1888, to Miss Mary McCabe, daughter of Thomas and Catharine (Duggin) McCabe, natives of Ireland. Mr. Duffy is a popular man in his residence city and vicinity, and is well and favorably known throughout the Red River Valley. He has a fine and commodious residence in the city.

Mr. Duffy now holds the office of city recorder, and has held the offices of town clerk and secretary of the chamber of commerce. In political matters he is a stanch democrat. Mr. Duffy is also the manager of the East Grand Forks Loan Agency.

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ON. DANIEL W. HIXSON, State sena- tor and a citizen of Grant county, Minnesota, is a resident of section 23, Dela- ware township. He was born in Burlington, Iowa, December 23, 1843, and is a son of John and Mary (Burnett) Hixson, who were natives of Ohio. Daniel W. remained on the home farm, attending school, until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he enlisted in Company C., Thirtieth Iowa Infantry (Fifteenth Army Corps), on Au- gust 4, 1862. He participated in many bat- tles, including Vicksburg, Champion Hills, etc., receiving his discharge for a wound received May 22d, at Vicksburg. After his discharge he returned to his old home, and remained there until March 7, 1865, when he was married to Miss Helen Orr, daughter of J. W. and Jane (Baines) Orr. After his marriage he lived on the farm in Des Moines county, Iowa, where they re- mained until 1883. In 1883 they removed to Grant county, Minnesota, and D. W. Hixson purchased 480 acres of land in sec- tion 23, Delaware township, where they have since lived. Mr. Hixson has a residence in Herman village, where he with his family spend the rigorous winters. Mr. Hixson has made a specialty more of stock-raising than grain farming, both in Iowa and since com- ing to Minnesota.

Mr. Hixson has been prominently identi- fied with the official history of Grant county. In the fall of 1886 he was elected to repre- sent his district in the State senate, and still holds that office. The record he has made reflects credit upon himself as well as the district, and has given him a State reputation as one of the leading members of the " upper house," while in Iowa. Mr. Hixson was prominently identified with the Grange order, being secretary for twenty-seven lodges of that order. It was he who introduced the freedom of traffic bill in the State senate. He was nominated for that position by the

Farmers' Alliance and endorsed by the re- publican party.

By their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hixson have become the parents of the following children - Edwin S., Elma C. and Capitola.

OHN MARTH. Of the many " brave boys in blue " who found homes in the famous Red River Valley and Park Regions, perhaps none deserve better mention than the gen- tleman whose name heads this biographical sketch, a popular and prosperous merchant of the village of Barnesville, Clay county, Minnesota. He is a native of Germany, born in 1837, and is a son of George and Sophia (Hohman) Marth, natives also of the kingdom of Germany.

Mr. Marth, of whom this article treats, spent his school days in his native land, where he remained until in his nineteenth year. In 1857 he immigrated to the United States, and settled in the State of Virginia, where he remained for three months. At the expira- tion of the time, in October, 1857, he moved to Crow river, Wright county, Minnesota, where the village of Delano now is located. He was one of the first settlers in that sec- tion of country, and remained there until the fall of 1861. In the fall of that year he en- listed in the First Minnesota Battery, and served three years and nine months. He enlisted on the 4th of October, 1861, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. The month of November, 1861, was spent at La Crosse, and from that place the battery went to St. Louis, Missouri ; then on to Pittsburg Landing, taking part in that engagement. Our subject was in many important engage- ments and sieges, including the following : Siege of Corinth, battle of Corinth ; then fol- lowed the rebel general, Price, through Ten- nessee, and from Memphis moved on to Vicksburg, during the winter of 1862-63.

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In the spring of 1863 the battery moved to the rear of Vicksburg, participating in the siege and surrender of that place. After the surrender, the battery remained there as guard, and on Christmas of 1863 Mr. Marth's time expired. He re-enlisted, how- ever, and obtained a forty-day furlough, in which he returned to Minnesota, and re- mained until the furlough expired. He then returned to active service. He went to Cairo, Illinois, where he met his old battery, and they moved up the Tennessee river, going to Huntsville, Alabama. They joined Sherman's army at Big Shanty, before Kene- saw Mountain, and took part in that battle. Mr. Marth was with Sherman in his famous "march to the sea," and took part in all those heavy battles and weary marches. He then went to Washington, District of Co- lumbia, by way of Petersburg, Richmond and Alexandria. lle participated in the grand review, and then went with his battery to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where he was hon- orably discharge on the 1st day of June, 1865. He was in ten separate and distinct battles, and received no disabling wound nor was made prisoner.

After his discharge he went to Wabasha, Minnesota, where he remained until the spring of 1866. He then engaged in farming near Delano, Wright county, Minnesota, where he remained eight years, engaged in agricult- ural pursuits. In 1874 he removed into the village of Delano and erected a building, where he engaged in the general mercantile business for three years. In October, 1877, Mr. Marth removed to Barnesville, Clay county, Minnesota, and took a claim about a mile from the village. After he secured his claim he returned to Delano, where he re- mained until 1878. In the spring of that year he returned to Barnesville and built a store, in which he placed a full line of gen- eral merchandise. He has since been en- gaged in the business; has a stock worth

$30,000, and is one of the most successful business men of that region. In 1885, when the town was organized, he removed his store to the new town, and has since carried on business there. In addition to his busi- ness interests, he owns a fine farm of 960 acres, 800 acres being under cultivation, and it is under his own supervision. He is a promi- nent man of his village, and has held the offices of school director and chairman of the town board. He is a member of the E. M. Kenfield Post, No. 145, Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of the German Lutheran church. A man of the strictest integrity, he stands high in the community in which helives, both as a business man and an exemplary citizen.

Mr. Marth was married June 24, 1867, to Miss Williamina Klement, and they are the parents of six children namely-Matilda, Sophia, Amanda, John, Rosa and Alvina. Mrs. Marth's father was a soldier in the Fourth Missouri Cavalry. He was taken prisoner and died in Libby prison.

In political affairs Mr. Marth is a repub- lican.

ON. BERNHARD SAMPSON, one of the enterprising and influential citizens of Crookston, is one of the earliest settlers in the Red River Valley, taking his claim here on the 12th of June, 1872, since which time he has been largely identified with the growth and development of this portion of the State of Minnesota.

Mr. Sampson was born in the kingdom of Sweden, October 26, 1840, and is the son of Bernhard and Olena Sampson. In his native land he received his education, and amid familiar surroundings grew to manhood. Perceiving the improbability, if not impos- sibility, of a man raising himself, in the land

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of his birth, above the condition in which he was born. in 1867 he crossed the ocean to the free shores of the Great Republic in search of a competency and a home. For two years after his arrival in the United States he was employed on railroads in Ohio and Michigan, but in 1869 he came west to Minnesota. Finding employment on the construction of the Northern Pacific railroad, he worked west from Brainerd to the Chey- enne river, Dakota, and in 1870 took up a claim on the banks of that stream, with the intention of making a farm, the grand ambi- tion of his life. He put up a log cabin, and sowed some eighty acres of land he had broken with wheat, and made his home upon . it, sometimes working there and sometimes on the railroad for eighteen months, but, the grasshoppers devouring every part of his crop, in the spring of 1872 he left that part of the country and returned to Minnesota. Here, in company with some other parties, he took several contracts for grading on the Manitoba railroad, then in process of con- struction, north of Glyndon. The first time he came to Red Lake river was in May, 1872, when he brought up, with his team, several surveyors to the point where the road was supposed to cross the stream, about two miles east of the present site of Crookston. His next trip was on the same errand, shortly after, and he found that nearly all the land in that vicinity was taken possession of by settlers, and, it being heavy and wet, he came down the river a couple of miles and took up a claim where he now lives. This was the 12th of June, 1872. A few days later the survey of the road was changed to its pres- ent location, and made his place the most eligible of the neighborhood. He erected a log cabin on his claim, which was one of the first, if not the first, in this part of the val- ley, and, after the grading contracts were finished, located on his claim. Here, for years, he devoted his energies to its im-

provement and cultivation. His original piece of ground contained some 149 acres, to which he added forty acres bought of the State, being school land, and seventy- three of the railroad, making in all 262 acres, all of which is excellent arable land. In 1882 Mr. Sampson platted some eighty- four acres of his place under the name of Sampson's addition to Crookston, and the same year South Crookston was laid out on his original claim. In addition to this property he has a fine farm of 162 acres. of land one mile southwest of the city, and 160 acres of excellent hay land in the town of Russia, giving him superior advantages in stock-raising, in which he takes the greatest pride. He devotes considerable attention to the rearing of horses, and has sold off of his farm, in the spring of 1888, a matched span of colts for $600 to a St. Paul party.

But it is in his public life that Mr. Samp- son is most widely known. His first public office of any moment was that of clerk of the district court of Polk county, to which he was elected in 187S. At the expiration of his term of service, in 1880, he was elected a member of the State legislature, and rep- resented this district in the twenty-second session of the house of representatives. The district then embraced . the twelve counties of Clay, Becker, Wadena, Todd, Otter Tail, Wilkin, Beltrami, Norman, Mar- shall, Kittson, Hubbard and Polk, in all of which Mr. Sampson received handsome majorities, except in Todd.

On the organization of the Crookston Improvement Company, the subject of this sketch was chosen its first president, in recog- nition of his services in behalf of the com- munity. The following year, in company with F. J. Wilcken and Julius Bjornstad, of St. Paul, he put up the Crookston roller flour- ing mill, at an expense of $50,000, his share of which exceeded $13,000. The mill, which

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was one of the best in the valley, had a daily capacity of 250 barrels of flour, and used both steam and water power. It was operated until June 4, 1887 when it was destroyed by fire. Mr. Sampson, however, had disposed of his interest previous to its destruction. In the fall of 1886 the gentleman of whom we write was elected by a handsome majority to represent this district in the State senate, the position which he so admirably fills at present. He has ever been one of the most active and public-spirited men in the com- munity; and takes great interest in the growth and improvement of both Crookston and the country in general. He was a mem- ber of the board of education of the city when the present fine school building was erected, and takes great interest in all educa- tional matters.

Mr. Sampson was united in marriage June 17, 1871, with Miss Petra Bjornstad, who has become the mother of eight chil- dren-Lena, who was born September 14, 1872, is, as far as now known, the first white child born in this part of the Red River Valley ; Selma, Rickard, Olga, Gustave (deceased), Hulda, Bernhard and Hagabart.

Mr. Sampson, who saw a great deal of frontier life here in early days, says it was no uncommon thing while teaming through here, prior to the erection of bridges, to unhitch his oxen from the wagon, drive them to the edge of the water, jump on one of them and swim them across the stream, holding in one hand the end of a rope, with which he was always provided, which was attached to his wagon, and after getting the animals on the other side, he would fasten the line to the yoke of the cattle and haul the wagon over. He hauled the first load of flour into Moorhead, bringing it from Alexandria to that village in the fall of 1870, for the firm of Bruns & Finkle. With him at the time was one Ole Strand- vold.

HRISTOPHER C. SHEDD, a retired agriculturist of Douglas county, Minnesota, is a resident of the village of Osakis, where he is an employe in a general merchandise store, with his son. He is a native of New Hampshire, born in Sullivan county, on the 20th of February, 1827, and is the son of Nathaniel and Cyntha (An- drews) Shedd, natives of Massachusetts. They were married in New Hampshire in 1826, and settled in that State, remaining there until their death. They were farmers in Sullivan county, where the father died in February, 1878. The mother died in 1848, when our subject was twenty-one years old. They were devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and respected citizens in the locality in which they lived. After the mother's death the father married a Miss Sally Winter, who is now living in New Hampshire. The father and mother of our subject were the parents of the following named children - Christopher C., Betsie A., Cyntha J., William W. and John G. All the children are deceased except Christopher C. and Betsie A.

Mr. Shedd, the subject of the present article, received his education in his native State, and finished his schooling in Kimball Union Academy, in Meriden, New Hamp- shire. He received a good, practical busi- ness education, and, after leaving the acad- emy, worked during the summers on his father's farm. In the winters he taught school, and for a number of years he fol- lowed that profession. He then farmed for several years, and in 1864 engaged in the milling business .. After eighteen months he was burned out, and then engaged in the tanning industry. After the short period of six months he was again burned out, but rebuilt and continued in the tanner's busi- ness for six years. Mr. Shedd then sold out and emigrated into the great West, crossing the Mississippi river on the morning of his

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forty-sixth birthday. In 1873 he settled in Sibley county, Minnesota, where he remained for one year, and then went to Rice county, Minnesota, where he engaged in the milling business. At the expiration of four years Mr. Shedd moved to Osakis, Douglas county, Minnesota, and purchased a fine farm on sec- tions 25 and 26. He has one of the most de. sirable pieces of property in the county, and was one of the substantial members of the farming community in that locality. For five years he remained upon the farm, but then finding old age approaching, rendering him unable to perform hard labor, he moved into the village, and was employed by his son, as above stated. The son had in 1883 opened a store, and continues to operate the same.

Mr. Shedd, the subject of this sketch, was united in marriage on the 20th of March, 1851, to Miss Melita Metcalf, a native of New Hampshire, and the daughter of Hora- tio and Phebe (Haven) Metcalf, natives of New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Shedd's union has been blessed with one child - Herbert A., who married Miss Emma Wood- worth, January 10, 1878. They have a family of three children - Harry, Frank and Mabel.

R. WILLIAM R. HAND, who is engaged in the practice of medicine in the village of Herman, Grant county, Minnesota, is a na- tive of Pennsylvania, born in Wayne county, on the 14th of September, 1854. He is the son of Nathan G., and Leah C. (Crone) Hand, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father died in 1863 in the hospital at Philadelphia from a disease contracted in the army. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry, One Hundred and Forty-third Regiment, and after a few months of service, was taken sick with chronic diarrhoea, which caused his death.

HIe was a lumberman through life and spent the active part of his life in Wayne county, Pennsylvania. The father and mother of our subject were the parents of the follow- ing named children-Anna M., Lydia C., William R. and Susie, deceased. The latter passed away at the age of four years, of scar- let fever. The two girls are now living in Pennsylvania ; one is a school teacher and the other is a milliner. The mother of our subject is now living in Hawley, Pennsylva- nia.

Mr. Hand, the subject of this biographical sketch, spent his boyhood days in attending school in Hawley, Pennsylvania, also at- tended the Soldier's Orphan Home School at Montrose, Pennsylvania, from which he- graduated in 1870. He then entered a ma- chine shop and iron factory, and engaged in general iron work for five years. At the expiration of that time he entered the office of a Dr. G. B. Curtiss, of Hawley, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, and remained with him six months, at which time his health gave out, and he was forced to abandon work for a period of five months. He then en- gaged in the study of medicine with Dr. Stephen Maxon, of Cuba, Allegany coun- ty, New York. At that time this doctor was one of the most prominent and noted men, and his decision and judgment as in- fluential as any in the East. Dr. Hand re- mained with this noted man for two years, and at the expiration of that time entered the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, and graduated from the full college course with high honors in 1877. No sooner had he fin- ished college than he at once entered into his- life's work, opening an office at, Scrubgrass, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and after remaining there one year, removed to Brad- ford, Mckean county, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in his profession for a period of three years. The doctor then removed to Scranton, where he remained for two years,

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Illustrated album of biography of the famous valley of the Red River of the North and the park regions of Minnesota and North Dakota : containing biographical sketches of settlers and representative citizens, Part 17

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company Number of Pages: 872

Author: Alden, Ogle & Company
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Alden, Ogle & Company
Number of Pages: 872